Helen Day preschool principal Dawn Erausquin, right, shows off the artwork of her students to WUSA9 news anchor Andrea Roane during the Hopkins House Preschool Scholarship Gala silent auction Nov. 17. Photo by John Bordner
Hopkins House kicked off its 77th year of serving the Alexandria community with an inaugural Preschool Scholarship Gala, an event that culminated a week-long celebration of the services and successes of the nonprofit community-based learning center.
“City Council proclaimed the entire week Hopkins House Week,” said Ted Lewis, chief development officer for Hopkins House. “We’ve had some incredible events, like Youth Day and Family Night. It’s been a fun week and is something we’d like to continue to do every year.”
This year’s gala featured a silent auction with artwork from Hopkins House children and focused on raising preschool scholarship funds for the children of low-income working and military families.
“We believe the Hopkins House model is about the future,” said Hopkins House president and CEO Glenn Hopkins. “People work hard, especially our enlisted military. But they make too little to provide quality services for their families and too much for any government assistance. At Hopkins House, children are provided with 2 and a half meals each day with 80 percent receiving some sort of scholarship help. We are trying to fill that gap in tuition.”
Founded in 1939, Hopkins House operates education enriched preschool academies for infants and children, summer discovery camps for adolescents and a college and career development institute for teens and adults.
“We want to raise money to provide scholarships to help low-resourced working and military families send their children to the Hopkins House Preschool Academy,” Hopkins added. “It is critical that all children are well cared for and have access to quality food and education.”
For more information, visit www.HopkinsHouse.org.